Two Odell men are believed to have drowned when the pickup they were riding in rolled onto its top in a pond on Sunday.
The driver of that vehicle, who was related to both victims, has been charged with two counts of manslaughter and three counts of reckless endangerment.
On Monday, the Hood River County Courthouse was packed with friends and family members who tearfully watched the arraignment of Alfredo Galvan-Rodriguez, also of Odell.
Rodriquez, 25, faces a possible 75-month prison sentence for allegedly driving while intoxicated and causing the deaths of his brother, Juan Galvan-Rodriguez, 21, and family member Ricardo Galvan-Herrera, 19.
“This is a tragic case of drinking and driving that resulted in consequences that were far more severe than anyone probably imagined,” said Hood River District Attorney John Sewell.
According to Sewell, the fatalities occurred in the early morning hours of July 20 along Fir Mountain Road. He said six people were allegedly traveling in the dual-cab pickup operated by Rodriquez. Sewell said the occupants of the vehicle had apparently been drinking while they cruised the hills. Rodriguez, who later allegedly admitted to police he was speeding, apparently lost control of the truck, which left the roadway and rolled over in a pond.
Sewell said preliminary indications are that the two victims were unable to escape from the truck before drowning. Prior to press time on Tuesday, Sewell said an autopsy had been scheduled for later that same day to confirm the cause of the deaths. Neither Alfredo nor his other passengers sustained injuries in the wreck. He is being held in NORCOR on a $100,000 cash bail.
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